[madhaxor_3]

I just got a 2012 335i in Aug '18. About a month ago I got a battery discharge warning. Now I have to use my jump box every other day, sometimes once to go to work and once to get home 30miles highway each way. Currently stock, no mods at all.

Battery specs = Super Start model 48ECO. Battery date 6/18. CCA@0*F 615, CA@32*F 755, 20 Ah rate, 65. Labeled as STD Pb, I think that means lead acid type. Looks like a group 48 series, if that means anything special? Google says it's from Orielly auto parts if that helps.

I got the battery and alternator test at autozone. Both say everything is good. I got a trickle charge unit for over night charging and started reading threads for possible solutions or ways to diagnose for a serious electrical issue. Not sure I'm asking the right question or searching the right topics?

Called the local dealership today and got a quote for $570 to replace and code. Then found a coupon for 75 off the battery replacement. So $495 out the door. I definitely don't want to go this route at that expense if there is a deeper underlying electrical issue.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thinking of getting the carly app to ensure the coding is right for the battery installed. Maybe new AGM battery as well.

Sorry for the long post, if there's a thread with similar issue I couldn't find it. Thanks in advance.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by madhaxor_3

I just got a 2012 335i in Aug '18. About a month ago I got a battery discharge warning. Now I have to use my jump box every other day, sometimes once to go to work and once to get home 30miles highway each way. Currently stock, no mods at all.

Battery specs = Super Start model 48ECO. Battery date 6/18. CCA@0*F 615, CA@32*F 755, 20 Ah rate, 65. Labeled as STD Pb, I think that means lead acid type. Looks like a group 48 series, if that means anything special? Google says it's from Orielly auto parts if that helps.

I got the battery and alternator test at autozone. Both say everything is good. I got a trickle charge unit for over night charging and started reading threads for possible solutions or ways to diagnose for a serious electrical issue. Not sure I'm asking the right question or searching the right topics?

Called the local dealership today and got a quote for $570 to replace and code. Then found a coupon for 75 off the battery replacement. So $495 out the door. I definitely don't want to go this route at that expense if there is a deeper underlying electrical issue.

Does anyone have any ideas? Thinking of getting the carly app to ensure the coding is right for the battery installed. Maybe new AGM battery as well.

Sorry for the long post, if there's a thread with similar issue I couldn't find it. Thanks in advance.

To be clear, is your car a F30 or an E90 335i?

[Solidjake]

That is the wrong battery.... F30's use AGM batteries. The CCA's are also too low.

The 92 amp hour battery for the F30 is 850CCA. Get the correct battery. You can get one from Autozone

[Solidjake]

Duralast platinum for $190. I'm sure you can find a discount/coupon somewhere.

https://www.autozone.com/ignition-tu...8_300932_25697

[madhaxor_3]

Originally Posted by IK6SPEED

To be clear, is your car a F30 or an E90 335i?

It's a f30. Were they both produced in 2012? Would explain the confusion when searching for the correct cp, fmic, and dp and getting 2 different part numbers and designs.

Originally Posted by Solidjake

That is the wrong battery.... F30's use AGM batteries. The CCA's are also too low.

The 92 amp hour battery for the F30 is 850CCA. Get the correct battery. You can get one from Autozone

Excellent to hear. Would the wrong battery cause electrical issues when I get the right one? I'll get the coding done myself via carly app I guess. It sounds easiest.
Also, where can I find specs like this? I searched the mighty Google and this forum for spec sheets. Just in case I need info for other parts in the future.

[IK6SPEED]

Originally Posted by madhaxor_3

It's a f30. Were they both produced in 2012? Would explain the confusion when searching for the correct cp, fmic, and dp and getting 2 different part numbers and designs.

Yes. That could easily explain the wrong battery.

It could explain the different part numbers, but those can also be explained by RWD/AWD or Manual/Automatic etc.

Originally Posted by madhaxor_3

Excellent to hear. Would the wrong battery cause electrical issues when I get the right one? I'll get the coding done myself via carly app I guess. It sounds easiest.
Also, where can I find specs like this? I searched the mighty Google and this forum for spec sheets. Just in case I need info for other parts in the future.

First you need an AGM Battery which it does not appear you have.

Second, the F30 335i could possibly have a 70ah, 80ah, 90ah or 92ah in it depending on a number of factors. 20ah or 65ah isn’t going to do it. No wonder you need a jump everyday.

Unfortunately even a BMW Dealer cannot tell you which battery was originally in your car via anything in their database with one possible exception. If the battery was previously replaced (as a 2012, a good chance), they might be able to look at the previous work order to see what it was replaced with.

On top of the above, the car has to be coded for whatever ah is installed. And registered when a new battery is put in.

And as stated, with the wrong battery is in your car now, God only knows which of the 4 batteries should really be in your car.

A dealer (or anyone with ISTA) can tell you what the cars computer thinks is in there. Given the wrong battery is in the car there is a chance that they did not update the info either...but then again, no way to know.

FWIW, in ISTA to read thebattery size and registration from onboard electrical system:

ISTA->Service functions->Body->Voltage supply->Register_battery replacement->Test plan

[chiefneil]

If I’m reading your post right, your current battery is 20 AH? The specs in general do look low, but 20 AH (if correct) would be the cause of you needing to jump start every time. You need either group 94R or 49 (group 49 is slightly higher spec) in AGM, minimum 80 AH.

Here’s the battery I bought for my 335i a few months ago with the specs below.
https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sli49agm

Brand: Duracell Ultra
Voltage: 12
Format: BCI Group 49
Lead Acid Type: Deep Cycle, Dual Purpose (Starting/Cycling), Starting
Cold Cranking Amps: 850
Battery Type: Premium
Capacity 20hr: 92AH
Chemistry: Lead Acid
Cranking Amps: 975
Lead Acid Design: AGM

[Orion4]

Wrong battery!! Can't imagine a dealer putting that battery in. Sounds as if the previous owner did a cheap quick replacement from an auto-parts store just to sell the car. Probably did not register that battery either. Wrong battery plus no registration= your problems.

[Billfitz]

A dealer isn't going to O'Reilly Auto Parts for a battery. I doubt it's a 48 series, which won't fit in the car. They do make a 49 series that fits, but I doubt whoever put it in registered it.

[madhaxor_3]

Will the carly app show what the battery is currently coded for?

[madhaxor_3]

Ok, got the new battery (H8 from autozone). Is there a quick way to get the Carly OBD2 Gen 2 adapter? looks like shipping is going to be a few days and I don't want to put the new battery in a mess it up.

[chowser51]

Amazon Prime? Two days

[Billfitz]

The battery won't get messed up in the short term if not registered. What happens is that the car doesn't know it's a new battery, so it charges it as if it was an old battery, installed on the date when it was registered, which could be as far back as the original battery in-service date.

[madhaxor_3]

Ok, so the new battery has been installed for about 4 days. Today the car died again and got the battery discharge warning, charge needed. Had to jump it. When I got home ~30mile drive, the temp gauge was just at 250* (have not seen it above ~220 before) and got the warning that the engine compartment was hot. When I opened it a small amount of steam or oil or something was floating about.
Now I'm just lost on what to check.

[Billfitz]

Lack of power to the electric radiator fan could cause overheating.

[madhaxor_3]

Makes sense. So the car is taking power from other systems to keep the battery charging while driving?

[Billfitz]

That's a possibility. Since the #1 job of the battery is to start the car the power management system makes that a priority. One of these plugged into the console lighter socket will let you see the state of charge while driving and with the engine off.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[chiefneil]

Time for a trip to the dealer or your favorite indy.

[madhaxor_3]

Originally Posted by chiefneil

Time for a trip to the dealer or your favorite indy.

I hope not...

[madhaxor_3]

I think it may be the steering wheel heater or the seat heater. I may try to find the fuse and pull it to see if the battery lasts.
It's the only thing I can remember using both times the battery did the discharge warning.

[Billfitz]

Even if they're left on the car should shut them off when the ignition is shut off.

[madhaxor_3]

I'd imagine they should turn off as accessories. Does the Carly app show battery usage and the reason for discharge logs? If there is a short somewhere I think that would be easy to find, but everything seems to run normal.